A new C45 teleconsultation act in the context of the coronavirus epidemic "COVID-19" is introduced in the medical nomenclature

In order to take account of the latest measures taken in the fight against the coronavirus "COVID-19", in particular in public health, a new act of nomenclature of physicians is introduced for teleconsultation, including for the establishment of medical prescriptions or declarations of incapacity for work.

To limit the transmission of the virus in application of the recommendations of the Health Directorate, doctors are therefore encouraged to use teleconsultation methods (telephone, video call applications, etc.). For requests relating to simple clinical situations of known patients, it will be possible to issue a certificate of incapacity for work or even send a medical prescription.

Thus, a new act C45 entitled "Teleconsultation in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic according to the recommendations of the Health Directorate, including, where appropriate, the establishment of medical prescriptions or declarations of incapacity for work" to be carried out remotely by a general practitioner or a specialist physician is introduced into the nomenclature of acts and services of medicine. The price of this new procedure is aligned with that of the consultation of the general practitioner and the specialist in geriatrics (procedure C1), which corresponds to current practice in other countries.

Consequently, any patient, whether suffering from an acute affection or a chronic disease, can be offered teleconsultation. However, the use of teleconsultation is the sole decision of the doctor who must judge the relevance of medical care from a distance rather than face-to-face.

In order to provide quality care, it is necessary for the doctor performing this teleconsultation act to know the patient. The Health Directorate will provide the doctors concerned with recommendations for good practice with regard to teleconsultation in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic.